NEBOSH General Certificate Syllabus

This course reflects the latest syllabus. Developed and updated by NEBOSH with help from 3000 of the world's leading organisations and industry experts. 

The NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (IGC) is a leading qualification in health and safety management. It'll teach you the essential skills to be able to identify and manage real, everyday risks in your workplace. 

The course is based on International standards, such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), so you can confidently apply what you've learnt in whatever industry or country you work in. 

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you'll be able to:

• Justify the need for health and safety improvements
• Advise on duties for health and safety in the workplace
• Help your organisation to manage contractors
• Work within a health and safety management system
• Positively influence health and safety culture and behaviour
• Carry out a general risk assessment (using a 5-step approach) of your workplace
• Recognise workplace changes and their impacts and understand how to minimise these impacts
• Develop basic safe systems of work that include emergency arrangements and know when to use a permit-to-work system
• Take part in incident investigations
• Help your employer check the effectiveness of their health and safety management system through monitoring, auditing and review.

NEBOSH International General Certificate Course syllabus 

Unit IG1: Management of Health and Safety

Element 1: Why we should manage workplace health and safety

• 1.1 Morals and money
• 1.2 Regulating health and safety
• 1.3 Who does what in organisations

Element 2: How health and safety management systems work and what they look like

• 2.1 What they are and the benefits they bring
• 2.2 What good health and safety management systems look like

Element 3: Managing risk – understanding people and processes

• 3.1 Health and safety culture
• 3.2 Improving health and safety culture
• 3.3 How human factors influence behaviour
• 3.4 Assessing risk
• 3.5 Management of change
• 3.6 Safe systems of work
• 3.7 Permit-to-work systems
• 3.8 Emergency procedures

Element 4: Health and safety monitoring and measuring

• 4.1 Active and reactive monitoring
• 4.2 Investigating incidents
• 4.3 Health and safety auditing
• 4.4 Review of health and safety performance

Element 5: Physical and psychological health

• 5.1 Noise
• 5.2 Vibration
• 5.3 Radiation
• 5.4 Mental ill-health
• 5.5 Violence at work
• 5.6 Substance abuse at work

Element 6: Musculoskeletal health

• 6.1 Work-related upper limb disorders
• 6.2 Manual handling
• 6.3 Load-handling equipment

Element 7: Chemical and biological agents

• 7.1 Hazardous substances
• 7.2 Assessment of health risks
• 7.4 Control measures
• 7.5 Specific agents

 Element 8: General workplace issues

• 8.1 Health, welfare and work environment
• 8.2 Working at height
• 8.3 Safe working in confined spaces
• 8.4 Lone working
• 8.5 Slips and trips
• 8.6 Safe movement of people and vehicles
• 8.7 Work-related driving

Element 9: Work equipment

• 9.1 General requirements
• 9.2 Hand-held tools
• 9.3 Machinery hazards
• 9.4 Control measures for machinery

Element 10: Fire

• 10.1 Fire principles
• 10.2 Preventing fire and fire spread
• 10.3 Fire alarms and fire-fighting
• 10.4 Fire evacuation

Element 11: Electricity

• 11.1 Hazards and risks
• 11.2 Control measures

Unit IG2: Risk Assessment

IG2 is an assessed workplace assignment. You need to show your ability to practically apply what you've learned from your studies by completing a risk assessment.  The assessment is split into 4 stages:

• Description of the organisation and methodology
• Risk assessment 
• Priority actions with justifications
• Review, communicate and check

Course assessments

NEBOSH has introduced open book exams for both the NEBOSH National and International General Certificates – units NG1, IG1, NGC1 and IGC1. This replaces in-person closed book exams and enables learners to sit their NEBOSH assessment in their own home or another safe and suitable location.

Assessment is a two-step process.

• An online open-book assessment
• A 3-hour practical risk assessment to demonstrate the knowledge

You need to pass both assessments to achieve your NEBOSH International General Certificate.  

Find out why you should take our NEBOSH Certificate online course